When the article I wrote for The Magazine of Yoga on creating your own spa day was published, I was caught in so much the opposite of spa living that I could hardly believe I wrote about long baths, massages, quiet contemplation and hot tubs. Piling on a down coat to scrap ice off the windshield before rushing to town for a meeting I was late for and nursing a slowly-departing migraine, I had to wonder who the heck I was to give such advice.
To be honest, I resented my slightly younger (I wrote the article a month ago) self. She seemed so stupidly optimistic. At the same time, she seemed just familiar enough that I started to wonder if I should, in a few days or months, put myself in her hands and see what comes of it.
So yesterday I gave myself over to spa day, making plans the night before on a whim after I realized how suddenly irritating everything and everyone had before. The gods must have pitied me because when I emailed Jordana Arnold, a fabulous massage therapist, on no notice, she had an opening. The next morning, she told me I would need at least 90 minutes for an in-depth, and I soon surrendered my tense body to her hands for over an hour and half of nirvana on 9th street.
Walking happily (and space-ily) to the car, cookie in hand (a massage and a cookie!), I drove to my exercise club to meet Kelley for a workout, sauna and hot tub. We did all three, amusing ourselves with stories while pausing to praise the ease of doing this. I felt almost stupid-drunk afterwards (the danger getting too relaxed too fast), but after some spa food (I think pizza and half a bottle of Recharge counts), I went home to do another spa activity: I took a nap.
I didn’t end up reading Rumi while dining on an artful display of tropical fruit (but I think eating toast quickly while reading People is close enough), or watching a spiritually-uplifting movie, but I did get to eat some amazing cookies while listening to 24 poets read from Begin Again: 150 Kansas Poems, and although I was engaged in hosting and organizing the event, it was anything but a burden.
So basically, I had myself a little spa day without having to travel far, pay big bucks, or be away from my cat. Sometimes our youngest selves know best, and most of all the time, all we need is right here. Check out the article, and make your own spa day.
